prostitution

noun

ˌprä-stə-ˈtü-shən How to pronounce prostitution (audio)
Definition of prostitutionnext
sometimes offensive
as in vice
the practice of engaging in sexual activities for money prostitution is illegal in most states

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of prostitution Combs is serving a 50-month prison sentence for his conviction in July 2025 on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. — Liza Esquibias, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026 Combs, currently serving a 50-month prison sentence on prostitution charges, has frequently denied playing a part in Shakur’s death. — Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 10 Aug. 2026 Contacted today by Deadline, reps for Combs, who a New York jury found guilty last year of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, had no comment on the latest release date. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2026 He was sentenced to more than four years behind bars in October after being convicted in July on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. — Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prostitution
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prostitution
harlotry
Noun
  • In one case, the life of an upper-class woman and contemporary of Julius Caesar, Clodia, saw her reputation destroyed by false claims of harlotry, home-wrecking, and husband-killing.
    — Time, Time, 24 Nov. 2025
  • Within the slippery world of harlotry—where class can be transcended and humanity bought—relationships form that defy our historical assumptions about the bounded categories of human experience.
    — Sarah Marshall, New Republic, 2 June 2017
Definition of harlotry

Browse Nearby Words

prostituting
prostitution
prostitutions
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Cite this Entry

“Prostitution.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prostitution. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on prostitution

Nglish: Translation of prostitution for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about prostitution

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